1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to ties.
It concerns a tie including a strap having two end segments connected by an extensible intermediate portion provided with a succession of frangible bridges each connecting a first part of said portion to a second part of said portion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,620 shows the application of a tie of the above kind to attaching the branches of a tree or a shrub to a support.
The tie expands progressively as the branch grows by successive rupturing of the frangible bridges.
Ties of the above kind have many other applications, in particular for holding together electrical or optical cables, for example voice/data/image (VDI) cables.
Given their many applications in data transmission, VDI cables are increasingly widely used.
However, they have the major drawback of being fragile, and excessive compression when tightening the tie tends to damage them.
This is because the user has no way to assess the traction force that must be applied to the tie to hold the cables together without damaging them with the result that he usually overtightens the tie, assuming that its extensibility will suffice to absorb the excess force.
In fact this is not the case because, although it is extensible, the tie must have sufficient rigidity to hold the cables sufficiently securely for them not to knock against each other.
The traction force exerted on the strap is even more difficult to assess since the tie is usually fitted by means of a tool specifically designed for this purpose.
The invention aims in particular to eliminate the drawbacks previously cited by proposing a tie having some extensibility properties and which can be fitted around fragile components such as VDI cables both easily and without risk of damage thereto.